Singer Onew has returned with a regular album filled with his unique emotions.
Onew held a showcase on the afternoon of the 15th at Myunghwa Live Hall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, to celebrate the release of his second regular album, 'PERCENT,' and shared stories about the new album.
Onew, who announced his comeback about six months after the release of his mini album 'CONNECTION' in January, stated, "Actually, I have been continuously active, so it's hard to realize that I am making a comeback again, but I've been working hard to show a much better side of myself." He also expressed, "I plan to gradually show what comes to mind through action, so I hope for your continued interest."
Regarding the reason for releasing the regular album, he replied, "I've been actively working by releasing mini albums and singles, but I've had very few regular activities as a solo artist. I felt that it was time to do this."
Onew's new album 'PERCENT' is a record that captures his unique journey of being emptied and filled. Onew fills 100% by forming a complementary relationship with countless things encountered while living in this world. It contains the belief that while one cannot be complete alone, imperfect beings can still be beautiful in their own right.
Following his previous works, Onew participated in songwriting and other aspects of the music production for this album. He explained, "I wanted to quantify various emotions. While living, many things happen, and I expressed the quantification of those emotions using the theme of percentages. Sometimes, there is a little anxiety when I’m happy, and even during tough times, hope appears to show it can be resolved—I've expressed these feelings as I felt them."
He added, "This album represents quantifying emotions as percentages when there are various feelings in life. Everyone lives in different environments and times, and everything one thinks in that process shapes who they are."
Onew's title track 'ANIMALS' captures the moment of freeing instincts and features a cleanly refined bass line and acoustic guitar sounds that form the heart of the song. The synth, unfolding like a sprint, urges one to let go of reason and follow instincts, while FX sounds reminiscent of animal noises add an intuitive energy.
Regarding the new song, he said, "I think if you listen to this song, you'll feel excited. I hope it can awaken your instincts, and you enjoy it together." He added, "Since I've been performing a lot lately, I wanted to create a sing-along point. There are parts where you can follow along with."
He has also challenged himself with singing rap in this song, stating, "I have reattempted singing rap. I now think it's a strength of mine. While there's a concern that being too good might hinder the song, I did my best in my own way. I hope you think of it as me showing what I can do at this moment."
When asked about the completion percentage of this album, he replied, "I actually think it's about 60 to 70 percent. It contains various meanings. There is a need to develop further, and I couldn't create this album alone with all my abilities; I needed a lot of help from those around me and the love of my fans. Considering those aspects, I quantified it."
Having received praise for his refreshing vocals for a long time, Onew expressed his feelings about the strengths of his own voice, saying, "I am so happy to hear these words of praise. They said I have a voice like no other. In the past, I didn't like it because I couldn't imitate anyone. Looking back at it differently, I realized I can use it as a new weapon. I became more confident and thought I could show something interesting to more people. I believe being able to show that no matter what challenge I take on, it's Onew's way is my strength."
Onew has been continuously active since his solo endeavors and SHINee activities, stating, "After being with SM, I am now solo with a new company, and my biggest goal right now is to perform live. The driving force behind all this is the previous company, which helped shape me like this. The current company has also been supportive, and my members have been a great source of strength, allowing me to keep going without feeling exhausted."
He mentioned that he hasn't let his members listen to the new song yet, saying, "The members call me their inspiration, but I think they’ve sung because I seemed to fit better singing ballads and calm songs. I hope I can receive feedback like, 'You’ve become cool, inspiration' and 'Your style has improved.'"
Lastly, regarding his ultimate goal, Onew said, "I want to perform in a new concert venue. The most impressive show I recently saw was in Las Vegas, and I would love to perform there once. I think it would be fun."
Meanwhile, Onew's second regular album 'PERCENT' will be released at 6 p.m. on various music streaming sites.
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